PRESS
RELEASES
CANADIAN AND US DEALERS
ANNOUNCE COLLABORATION
Washington, DC, June 14, 1996 -- The trade associations of graphic arts dealers in Canada and the United States today announced a collaborative effort in which the two organizations will effect joint membership. The Printing Equipment and Supply Dealers' Association of Canada (PESDA)-an Etobicoke, ON, organization serving Canadian dealers and manufacturers-and the North American Graphic Arts Suppliers Association (NAGASA)-a Washington, DC, group serving US dealers and manufacturers-have agreed to a joint effort. As a result of this collaboration, PESDA members, while maintaining their Canadian organization, will become NAGASA members.
"The collaboration of the two major graphic arts dealer organizations in North America speaks to the increasingly global market for graphic arts products and will benefit dealers, manufacturers and their printer customers alike," said PESDA president Serge Ouellette. "PESDA seeks a common voice in the North American graphic arts marketing channels," Ouellette continued. "The leadership role in channel standards and promotion, plus the work of NAGASA in standards and model contracts makes it a logical choice to extend PESDA's long history of serving Canadian dealers and manufacturers." Ouellette is Eastern Division Manager for Heidelberg Canada, Lachine, PQ.
NAGASA board chair Richard Blair added: "With the globalization of the printing industry and the adoption of the NAFTA treaty by Canada and the US, our customers routinely operate across international borders. As the major suppliers to printers, NAGASA and PESDA members can better serve their customers by working more closely." Blair is President of Young Phillips, a US dealer based in Clemmons, NC.
According to David J. Steinhardt, NAGASA president, the collaboration will begin immediately, with PESDA members being granted full NAGASA membership and the organizations operating with a common dues schedule.
The immediate past president of PESDA-Carl Best, Vice President, Sales and Marketing Operations for Fuji Graphic Systems Canada, Inc., North York, ON-will be seated on the NAGASA board of directors. The NAGASA directory and web page will be expanded to include Canada and PESDA members. At the NAGASA annual meeting, a separate session will be held to address Canadian concerns. The annual NAGASA Distribution Exchange meeting will be held in Canada in 1997 and thereafter every three years in Canada. PESDA members will be afforded active membership in all NAGASA committees and will receive all NAGASA publications, standards and resources.
NAGASA-the North American Graphic Arts Suppliers Association-is the world's largest trade association of graphic arts distributors, VARs and manufacturers. NAGASA dealers sell more than $3 billion of equipment, supplies, systems, software, paper and service each year, primarily to the imaging, publishing and graphic communications industries. NAGASA is dedicated to strengthening channel alliances, streamlining costs and operations, and improving the business performance of its nearly 350 members.